Stench eliminating apparatus of a toilet bowl

ABSTRACT

A toilet bowl, the toilet bowl including a body in which feces are contained and a seat plate on which bottoms of a user directly touch, wherein the apparatus comprises: a plurality of suction inlets formed underneath the seat plate for sucking in air within the body; a suction passage formed along a margin of the seat plate for collecting the air sucked in through the plurality of suction inlets to discharge same thereafter; a blower mounted in communication with the suction passage; and a drain passage communicating with a discharge outlet of the blower, such that stench generated while a user relieves himself or herself is eliminated to be discharged through a drain pipe such that displeasure in and out of the toilet room can be removed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a stench eliminating apparatusof a toilet bowl.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Toilet bowls are widely used in toilet rooms these days inpreference to the old uncomfortable squatting style.

[0005] A known toilet bowl is disposed thereon with a seat plate wherebottoms of a user directly touch and the seat plate is covered thereonwith a lid. Body of the known toilet bowl is placed with a water tank ata rear side thereof. The lid and the seat plate are hinged therebetweenat a portion near to the water tank.

[0006] In known toilet bowl is disposed thereon with a seat plate wherebottoms of a user directly touch and the seat plate is covered thereonwith a lid. Body of the known toilet bowl is placed with a water tank ata rear side thereof. The lid and the seat plate are hinged therebetweenat a portion near to the water tank.

[0007] In the toilet bowl thus described, a user flips open the lid,sits on the seat plate and relieves nature, after which the user pressesa handle (not shown) to flush the water in the water tank for cleaningthe toilet bowl.

[0008] However, there is a problem in the know toilet bowl thusdescribed in that, although feces are flushed with water, there stillremains and lingers stench thereof inside a rest room and its vicinity,causing in convenience to other persons.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention is disclosed to solve the aforementionedproblem and it is an object of the present invention to provide a stencheliminating apparatus of a toilet bowl by which stench out of feces canbe removed, thereby eliminating unpleasantness.

[0010] In accordance with the object of the present invention, there isprovided a stench eliminating apparatus of a toilet bowl, the toiletbowl including a body in which feces are contained and a seat plate onwhich bottoms of a user directly touch, wherein the apparatus comprises:

[0011] a plurality of suction inlets formed underneath the seat platefor sucking in air within the body;

[0012] a suction passage formed along a margin of the seat plate forcollecting the air sucked in through the plurality of suction inlets todischarge same thereafter;

[0013] a blower mounted in communication with the suction passage; and

[0014] a drain passage communicating with a discharge outlet of theblower.

[0015] An exhaust duct is disposed between the discharge outlet of theblower and the drain passage while the exhaust duct is coupled to airblocking means for opening and closing the exhaust duct in response tooperation of the blower.

[0016] The exhaust duct may communicate with the drain passage of thetoilet bowl or drain passage of washbasin.

[0017] The suction passage is a pipe coupled along a bottom margin ofthe seat plate while the suction inlet may be formed at the pipe.

[0018] The body is formed thereon with an inlet communicating with theblower and bottom surface of the seat plate may communicate with thesuction passage to be accommodated into the body, forming an outletwhich fits into the inlet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] For fuller understanding of the nature and objects of theinvention, reference should be made to the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

[0020]FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a stench eliminating apparatus ina toilet bowl according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0021]FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1;

[0022]FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 2;

[0023]FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of a duct coupled to air blockingmeans in the stench eliminating apparatus in the toilet bowl accordingto the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0024]FIG. 5 is a perspective view for illustrating how the air blockingmeans is operated in FIG. 4;

[0025]FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a duct when an air passage isblocked in FIG. 4;

[0026]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a duct when the air passage isopened in FIG. 4;

[0027]FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing of a stench eliminating apparatus ina toilet bowl according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0028]FIG. 9 is a front view of a stench eliminating apparatus in atoilet bowl according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0029]FIG. 10 is a plan view of FIG. 9;

[0030]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a stench eliminating apparatus ina toilet bowl according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0031]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a rear part where a toilet seatis placed and covered by a lid in FIG. 11;

[0032]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a stench eliminating apparatus ina toilet bowl according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

[0033]FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 13;

[0034]FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a body of FIG. 13 as seen fromthereunder; and

[0035]FIG. 16 is a perspective view for illustrating how a toilet seatis received by the body of FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036]FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a stench eliminating apparatus ina toilet bowl according to a first embodiment of the present invention.As illustrated in FIG. 1, a toilet bowl body 10 is installed on a floorof a toilet room and the body 10 is mounted thereon with a toilet seatplate 12 where bottoms of a user directly touch.

[0037] The seat plate 12 is mounted thereon with a lid 14 for coveringthe upper side of the body 10 when toilet bowl is not used. The body 10is coupled near to a wall (W) and at an upper rear side thereof to awater tank 16 for storing water to be supplied to an interior of thebody 10. Between the seat plate 12 and the water tank 16 there isinstalled a blowing unit 18 for sucking in inner air of the body 10 tosend same to a drain passage.

[0038] A drain outlet 20 in the body 10 communicates with a risingpassage 22 so that water can be collected at a predetermined heightafter water from the water tank 16 is drained out with feces. Thepassage 22 where water rises is curved to communicate with a drainpassage 24.

[0039] The drain passage 24 includes one part formed inside the body 10and another part formed by a separate drain pipe 26, where the drainpipe 26 is connected to a still another drain pipe 28 installed insidethe wall (W). The drain pipe 28 is connected to a septic tank (notshown)

[0040] The seat plate 12, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is hinged to anupper part of body in the vicinity of the blowing unit 18, the shape ofwhich being of a ring opened at a front side thereof. FIG. 2 is notillustrated with the lid 14.

[0041] Furthermore, the seat plate 12 is inwardly protruded at an upperinner side thereof as illustrated in FIG. 3 and the protruded portion isformed along the margin of the seat plate 12 with a plurality of airinlets 30 for allowing the air in the inner space of the body 10 to beinducted while the air introduced through the air inlets 30 enters theinterior of the blowing unit 18 through the suction passage 32 formed atan inner area of the seat plate 12. The suction passage 32 is formedalong the margin of the seat plate 12.

[0042] The lid 14 is hinged to an upper side of the body 10 with theseat plate 12, which is a known art. The water tank 16 is also a knownart. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the blowing unit 18 is a blowerwhich includes a case 33, a fan 34 mounted inside the case 33 forallowing the air to be tangentially introduced and to be axiallydischarged, a motor 36 for driving the fan 34 and a battery 38 forsupplying a power to the motor 36. The blowing unit 18 is mounted withan exhaust duct 40 at an air discharge side.

[0043] The exhaust duct 40 is formed thereunder with a discharge outlet42 at a predetermined distanced place from the blowing unit 18 and iscoupled therein to air blocking means 44 for opening and closing thedischarge outlet 42 in response to operation of the blowing unit 18. Thedischarge outlet 42 is connected to an exhaust pipe 46 communicatingwith the drain passage 24.

[0044] The case 33 of the blowing unit 18 is connected to a suction duct48 communicating with the suction passage 32. The battery 38 isreplaceable with an alternating current power source. The blowing unit18 is coupled to an operation switch (not shown). The operation switchis preferred to be an automatic switch which is operated to detect aman.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the air blocking means 44 includes afirst opening and closing member 50 for opening and closing an upperportion of the exhaust pipe 46 which is the discharge outlet 42, ablocking member 42 dividing the interior of the exhaust duct 40 into anupper part and a lower part and blocking the lower part, and a secondopening and closing member 54 hinged and rotated at one end of theblocking member 52 to open and close a water passage.

[0046] The first opening and closing member 50 has an approximatelyround plate shape and a midsection thereof is hinged at a lop-sidedpoint to the discharge outlet 42. A right part 50 a (smaller part) ofthe first opening and closing member 50 has a radius of curvature, thesize of which is appropriate enough to enter into the exhaust pipe 46about a first hinge line (H1) while a left part 50 b (larger part) has aradius of curvature, the size of which is appropriate enough to behitched at an upper end surface of the exhaust pipe 46. A left tip endof the left part 50 b is formed with a hole 50 c through which a band 56is inserted and tied.

[0047] The blocking member 52 includes a horizontal plate part 52 a anda vertical plate part 52 b, each having a cross-sectional shape of “┐”where the vertical plate part 52 b is half in height thereof comparedwith an inner height of the exhaust duct 40 while a left tip end of thehorizontal plate part 52 a is secured with a bridge 53 for supportingthe horizontal plate part. Furthermore, a mid left side of thehorizontal plate part 52 a is formed with a slit 52 c toward the waterpassage. Breadth of the blocking member 52 is the same as an innerbreadth of the exhaust duct 40.

[0048] The second opening and closing member 54 includes an opening andclosing plate part 54 a hinged to a left end of the horizontal platepart 52 a of the blocking member 52 along a second hinge line (H2) foropening and closing an upper water passage of the blocking member 52,and a quarter disc part 54 b vertically erected from a midsection of theopening and closing plate part 54 a relative to the opening and closingplate part 54 a while protruded from a hinge part of the opening andclosing plate part 54 a to be connected to the first opening and closingmember 50 via the band 56.

[0049] The quarter disc plate part 54 b passes the slit 52 c and isguided to be rotated about the second hinge line (H2). The opening andclosing plate part 54 a is rotated in response to rotation of thequarter disc part 54 b to thereby block the water passage. The quarterdisc part 54 b is integrally made with a reinforcement piece 54 c whichis in turn fixed to a midsection of the opening and closing plate part54 a.

[0050] The air blocking means 44 may be a damper controlled by controlmeans (not shown) or may be an opening and closing valve operated by asolenoid.

[0051] In the stench eliminating apparatus of a toilet bowl according tothe first embodiment of the preset invention thus constructed, when auser sits on the seat plate 12 to switch on a switch (not shown), orwhen a user just sits on the seat plate 12, a switch is turned on bycontrol means which receives a signal from a detection sensor (notshown) to rotate the fan 34 is response to operation of the motor 36

[0052] The air remaining in a space of the body 10 is sucked into thefan 34 through the air suction inlet 30 along the suction passage 32 andthe suction pipe 48 in response to the rotation of the fan 34 to therebybe discharged into the exhaust duct 40.

[0053] The air discharged into the exhaust duct 40 flows toward arrow Bin FIG. 6 to push the opening and closing plate part 54 a of the secondopening and closing member 54, by which the opening and closing platepart 54 a is horizontalized to open the water passage as shown in FIG.7. At this time, the opening and closing plate part 54 a is rotatedcounterclockwise about the second hinge line (H2) to simultaneouslyraise the quarter disc plate 54 b along the slit 52 c, where the firstopening and closing member 50 connected by the band 56 is rotatedclockwise about the first hinge line (H1) to allow a water passage to beopened to the exhaust pipe 46.

[0054] The air discharged to the exhaust pipe 46 sequentially passes thedrain passage 24 formed in the body, drain pipe 26 and another drainpipe 28 to the septic tank.

[0055] According, stench generated by a user who relieves nature iscontinuously discharged to the septic tank, thereby preventing thestench from being dispersed out of the rest room.

[0056] When a user finishes relieving nature to turn off a switch (notshown), or when the user stands up from the seat plate 12, the switchreceives a signal from a detection sensor to be turned off by controlmeans, thereby stopping the operation of the motor 36.

[0057] As a result, the opening and closing plate part 54 a of thesecond opening and closing member 54 loses the pushing power to make theleft side 50 b of the first opening and closing member 50 heavier, suchthat the first opening and closing member 50 is rotated counterclockwiseabout the first hinge line (H1). At the same time, the second openingand closing member 54 is rotated clockwise about the second hinge line(H2) to thereby close the water passage as illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0058]FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing of a stench eliminating apparatus ata toilet bowl according to a second embodiment of the present invention,where a discharge outlet 42′ formed at a exhaust duct 40 is connected toan exhaust pipe 60 communicating with a drain pipe 26 connected tooutside of a toilet bowl. The discharge outlet 42′ is preferred to beformed at a side surface of the exhaust duct 40.

[0059]FIGS. 9 and 10 are respectively front view and plan view of astench eliminating apparatus at a toilet bowl according to a thirdembodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, a blowingunit 118 and an exhaust duct 140 are mounted to an outside of a toiletbowl, and a suction passage 32 of seat plate 12 is connected to asuction inlet of the blowing unit 118 via a suction pipe 148. Adischarge outlet of the exhaust duct 140 communicates with a drain pipe164 of a washbasin 162 through an exhaust pipe 126. At this location,the exhaust pipe 126 is preferred to be connected to a bottom area ofU-shape portion of the exhaust pipe 126.

[0060]FIGS. 11 and 12 are perspective views of a stench eliminatingapparatus of a toilet bowl according a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0061] As illustrated, a body 210 of the toilet bowl is disposed thereonwith a seat plate 212 directly touching bottoms of a user.

[0062] The seat plate 212 is disposed thereon with a lid 214 forcovering an upper side of the seat plate when the toilet bowl is notused. The body 210 is coupled at an upper rear side thereof to a watertank 216 for storing water to be supplied into the body 210.

[0063] The seat plate 212 and the lid 214 hinged by hinge means 217coupled to the body. The hinge means 217 is a known structure where ahinge axle for connecting two flanges is inserted by protruders of theseat plate and the lid. The hinge means is formed at a midsectionthereof with an inlet 266 of suction pipe 248 which communicates with ablower (not shown) or a blowing unit.

[0064] Furthermore, a hose-like pipe 232 is coupled along an innerbottom marginal area of the seat plate 212 to form a suction passage andthe pipe 232 is formed with a plurality of holes 230 to constitutesuction inlets.

[0065] The pipe 232 is blocked at both ends 232 a thereof and is formedat a midsection thereof with an outlet 268 for being fitted into theinlet 266 when the seat plate 212 is received at an upper surface of thebody 210. The outlet 268 is a holes through which air introduced via thehole 230 into the suction passage is discharged.

[0066] The suction pipe 248 is mounted between the seat plate 212 andthe water tank 216 by way of an elbow 270. The suction pipe 248 may beinstalled with backflow prevention means for preventing the airdischarging into exhaust passage from flowing backward when a blower isnot working. The backflow prevention means a blower is not working. Thebackflow prevention means may be similar to air blocking means in thefirst embodiment or a damper controlled by control means or an openingand closing valve operated by a solenoid. The backflow prevention meansserves to prevent stench from being backflowed in the exhaust passage.

[0067] In the stench eliminating apparatus of a toilet bowl thusconstructed according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention,when the seat plate 212 is placed on an upper surface of the body 210,the outlet 268 formed at the pipe 232 is fitted to inlet 266 of thesuction pipe 248. When a blower (not shown) is activated, the air in thebody 210 is collected in the interior of the pipe 232 through the hole230 to be discharged to a drain passage (not shown) through the sectionpipe 248.

[0068]FIG. 13 is a perspective view for illustrating a stencheliminating apparatus of a toilet bowl according to a fifth embodimentof the present invention.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 13, a body 310 is disposed thereon with a seatplate 312 that directly touches bottoms of a user and the seat plate 312is installed thereon with a lid 314 for covering an upper side of theseat plate when the toilet bowl is not used. The body 310 is coupled atan upper rear side thereof to a water tank 316 for storing water forbeing supplied to the interior of the body 310.

[0070] The body 310 is coupled at a side thereof to a blowing unit 372which has a built-in blower (described later) and is formed thereon withan inlet 374 communicating with the blower. The lid 314 and the seatplate 312 are hinged by hinge means 317 coupled to the body. The hingemeans 317 is a known structure where a hinge axle for connecting flangesof both sides is inserted by protruders of the seat plate and the lid.

[0071] The seat plate 312 has a similar shape as that of the firstembodiment of the present invention. In other words, the seat plate 312has a ring shape with its front side opened while an inner portion ofthe seat plate 312 is protruded from an inner upper side of the body310. The protruded portion is formed along the margin of the seat plate312 with a plurality of air inlets 330 to allow the air in the innerspace of the body 310 to be introduced. The seat plate 312 is formedthereunder with an outlet 376 which is fitted into the inlet 374 as thebody 310 is received. Furthermore, the seat plate 312 is formed thereinwith a suction passage (not shown) such that air introduced via the airinlets 330 is collected to pass through the outlet 376.

[0072] The blowing unit 372 communicates with the inlet 374 through aflexible tube 378, and as illustrated in FIG. 14, a blower 406 isinstalled at one side of a space (S1) in a case 404 having a spacepartitioned into two areas by a compartment 402. The case is mounted atthe other side of a space (S2) in the case 404 with a battery 408 forsupply power to the blower 406.

[0073] The case 404 and the body 310 are formed thereunder with holesthrough which pipes 412 can pass.

[0074]FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the body 310 seen fromthereunder. As illustrated in FIG. 15, periphery of drain passage 424formed at the body 310 is formed with a drain pipe 426 which in turn isclosely secured to a floor surface of the body 310. The drain pipe 426is formed at an outside thereof with a compartment 428 for encompassingthe pipe 412 to depict a closed curvature. The drain pipe 426 is formedwith an opening 430 to allow the air from the pipe 412 to be dischargedinto the drain passage 424.

[0075] A marginal bottom surface 310 a of the body 310 and an anotherbottom surface of the compartment 428 are on the same level where thedrain passage 424 includes a flange 432 protruded from a central bottomsurface of the body 310. The flange 432 is protruded in the drain pipe426 such that dirty water flowing through the drain passage 424 does notoverflow through the opening 430.

[0076] The flexible pipe 378 or the pipe 412 may be coupled to backflowprevention means for preventing the air discharging into the drainpassage from flowing backward when the blower is not operated. Thebackflow prevention means may be similar to the air blocking means ofthe first embodiment, a damper controlled by control means or an openingand closing valve activated by a solenoid.

[0077] The backflow prevention means serves to prevent stench fromflowing backward in the drain passage. The backflow prevention means maybe installed at an area where the compartment 428 is slenderized. It ispreferred that the backflow prevention means is a damper.

[0078] In the stench eliminating apparatus of a toilet bowl according tothe fifth embodiment of the present invention thus constructed, when theseat plate 312 is placed on the upper surface of the body 310, theoutlet 376 formed at the seat plate 312 is fitted into the inlet 374formed at the body 312. When the blower is activated, the air in thebody 310 is collected along a suction passage (not shown) through theair inlet 330, passes the flexible pipe 378 via the inlet 374, passesagain the blower 406 and pipe 412 and flows out into the drain pipethrough the opening 430 at the drain pipe 426.

[0079]FIG. 16 is a schematic drawing for illustrating how the seat plate312 is placed on the body 312.

[0080] It will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of theinvention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration,various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention.

[0081] As apparent from the foregoing, there is an advantage in thestench eliminating apparatus of a toilet bowl according to the presentinvention thus described in that stench generated while a user relieveshimself or herself is eliminated to be discharged through a drain pipesuch that displeasure in and out of the toilet room can be removed.

What is claim is:
 1. A stench eliminating apparatus of a toilet bowl,the toilet bowl including a body in which feces are contained and a seatplate on which bottoms of a user directly touch, wherein the apparatuscomprises: a plurality of suction inlets formed underneath the seatplate for sucking in air within the body; a suction passage formed alonga margin of the seat plate for collecting the air sucked in through theplurality of suction inlets to discharge same thereafter; a blowermounted in communication with the suction passage; and a drain passagecommunicating with a discharge outlet of the blower.
 2. The apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein an exhaust duct is disposed between thedischarge outlet of the blower and the drain passage while the exhaustduct is coupled to air blocking means for opening and closing theexhaust duct in response to operation of the blower.
 3. The apparatus asdefined in claim 2, wherein the exhaust duct communicates with the drainpassage of the toilet bowl.
 4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2,wherein the exhaust duct is connected to the drain passage of washbasin.5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the suction passage is apipe coupled along a bottom margin of the seat plate while the suctioninlet is formed at the pipe.
 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein the body is formed thereon with an inlet communicating with theblower and bottom surface of the seat plate communicates with thesuction passage to be accommodated into the body, forming an outletwhich fits into the inlet.